=Palaver=--pa-lä´ver, not pa-lăv´er.
=Pall-mall=--pĕl-mĕl´, not pawl-mawl´. The name of a game
formerly played in England; and the name of a street in London.
Written also _pail-mail_ and _pell-mell_, both pronounced as
above. Pell-mell used as an adverb means mixed together in a
disorderly manner; but one person can not rush _pell-mell_.
=Papaw=--pa-paw´, not pŏp´paw as commonly called. Written also
=pawpaw=.
=Papyrus=--pa-pī´rus, not păp´i-rŭs. A material used for
writing upon by the ancients, made from the inner bark of a
plant.
=Parent=--pâr´ent, not pā´rent.
=Parisian=--pa-rĭz´ian, not pa-rĭsh´ian nor pa-rĭss´ian.
Worcester gives pa-rĭzh´i-an.
=Paroquet=--păr´o-quet, not păr-o-kĕt´.
=Parquet=--pär-kā´ or pär-kĕt´. Worcester allows pär-kā´
only.
=Parquette=--pär-ket´, not pär-kā´.
=Partner=, not _pardner_.
=Partridge=, not _pattrij_.
=Patent.= The _adjective_ is pronounced either păt´ent or
pā´tent. When used as a verb or a noun it is pronounced
păt´ent.
=Patois=--păt-wŏ´, not păt´wŏ nor păt-waw´.
=Patriot=--pā´tri-ot, not păt´ri-ot. =Patriotic=,
=patriotism=, etc., have also the long a. Worcester gives the
same with the exception of _patriotic_, which he pronounces
both pā´tri-ot-ic and păt´ri-ot-ic.
=Patron=--pā´tron, not păt´ron. =Patroness= and
=patronless= have also the long a.
=Patronize=--păt´ron-īze, not pā´tron-īze.
=Patronage=--păt´ron-aje, not pā´tron-aje.
=Pease=, not _peas_, when an uncounted quantity is referred to,
as: a bushel of _pease_, a plateful of _pease_, some more
_pease_, etc. _Peas_ when a certain number is mentioned, as: a
dozen _peas_, fifty _peas_, etc.
=Pedal=--pĕd´al, not pē´dal, when that portion of a piano
or harp that is acted upon by the feet, is meant. Pē´dal is
an adjective, and means pertaining to the above, or to a foot.
=Perfect.= I have selected this as the representative of a class
of adjectives that, strictly speaking, do not admit of
comparison. I have noticed, invariably, that those who appear
to be so anxious to correct the error of giving degrees of
comparison to a few stereotyped words of this class, such as
_round_, _square_, _universal_, _chief_, _extreme_, etc., are
singularly remiss in calling attention to a great many other
mistakes of the same kind that are equally prominent. Amongst
the latter may be mentioned the comparison of _correct_,
_complete_, _even_, _level_, _straight_, etc. It will be
admitted that if anything is _perfect_ it can not be _more_ so;
and as soon as it is _less_ so it fails to be _perfect_ at all.
So, if anything is _correct_ it is perfectly free from error;
it can not be made _more_ correct, and if its correctness is
detracted from, it is not quite correct any longer. A
_straight_ line is one that does not vary from a perfectly
_direct_ course in the slightest degree; it can not be
_straighter_ and if it could be _less_ straight, it would be
_curved_. It is ridiculous for any one to insist upon a
national reformation of a few such errors, and suffer a hundred
others just like them to exist without remonstrance. Either
_nearer_ and _nearest_, _more nearly_, and _most nearly_, and
the like, should be substituted for the degrees of comparison
and used with all such words; or people should treat them as
all other adjectives, just as the best writers and speakers
have always done. The former course is the more desirable; the
latter is certainly the more probable.
=Perfidious=--per-fĭd´i-ous, not pĕr´fĭd-oŭs.
Worcester allows per-fĭd´yŭs in addition to the first.
=Peony=--pē´o-ny) =Pæony= (pē´o-ny) or =Piony= (pī´o-ny)
not pī´ny as often called. A flower.
=Perambulate=, not _preambulate_.
=Period=--pē´ri-od, not pĕr´i-od. =Periodic=, =Periodical=,
etc., have also the long e.
=Perspire=, not _prespire_.
=Perspiration=, not _prespiration_.
=Persuade.= This word carries with it the idea of success in
one's endeavors to convince or induce. "I _persuaded_ him for a
long time, but he would not grant my request," should be, "I
_tried_ to _persuade_ him," etc.
=Petrel=--pĕt´rel, not pē´trel. A bird. Worcester allows
the latter also.
=Phaeton=--phā´et-on, not phā'te-on. A vehicle.
=Pharmaceutist=--fär-ma-sū´tĭst, not fär-mā-kū´tist
nor fär-mā´kū-tist.
=Pharmacopœia=--fär-ma-co-pē´ya, not fär-mā-cō´pi-a.
=Piano=--pi-ä´no, not pī-ăn´o. Worcester allows
pĭ-ăn´o.
=Piano-forte=--pĭ-ä´no-fōr´tā, not
pī-ăn´o-fōrt. Worcester sanctions
pĭ-ä´no-fōr´te, pĭ-ăn´o-fôr-te, and remarks in
parenthesis, _often_ pe-ăn´o-fōrt; but the last
pronunciation is evidently not preferred.
=Pilaster=--pĭ-lăs´ter, not pĭl´as-ter. A square pillar
set into a wall and projecting slightly.
=Piquant=--pĭk´ant, not pĭk´wănt nor pēk´wănt.
=Piquantly= (pĭk´ant-ly), etc.
=Placard=--pla-kärd´, not plăk´ard.
=Placid=--plăs´id, not plā´sid. =Placidly= and =placidness=
have also the short a.
=Plait=--plāt, not plăt nor plēt. A braid; or to braid.
=Plat= (plăt) is a proper word, however, having the same
meanings, but the difference in pronunciation must be observed,
when the spelling is as above. =Plait=, meaning a fold of
cloth, as in a shirt bosom, is also pronounced plāt. How
common an error it is to speak of the _pleets_ when alluding
to such folds.
=Platina=--plăt´i-na or pla-tē´na, not pla-tī´na nor
pla-tĭn´a. Worcester allows plăt´i-na only.
=Platinum=--plăt´i-num or pla-tī´num, not pla-tē´num nor
pla-tĭn´um. Worcester gives plăt´i-num only.
=Plebeian=--ple-bē´ian, not plē´bi-an. Ple-bŏn´, as some
pronounce it, is outrageous, neither French, English, nor
Hottentot.
=Plenary=--plē´na-ry, not plĕn´a-ry. Full; entire.
Worcester gives both methods.
=Poetaster=--pō´et-ăs-ter, not pō´et-tāst-er. A petty
poet.
=Poniard=--pŏn´yard, not poin´yard.
=Posthumous=--pŏst´hu-mous, not pōst´hu-moŭs nor
pŏst-ū´moŭs. =Posthumously= (pŏst´hu-mous-ly).
=Potable=--pō´ta-ble, not pŏt´a-ble. Drinkable.
=Potheen=--po-theen´, not pŏt-teen´. When spelled =potteen=,
however, as it may be correctly, the latter pronunciation is
proper.
=Prairie=--prā´ry, not per-rā´ry.
=Prebendary=--prĕb´end-a-ry, not prē´bend-a-ry. A clergyman
of a collegiate or cathedral church, who enjoys a prebend.
=Prebend=--prĕb´end, not prē´bend. A stipend.
=Precedence=--pre-sē´dence, not prĕs´e-dence. =Precedency=
and =precedently=, have the second syllable accented also.
=Precedent=--pre-sē´dent, not prĕs´e-dent. An adjective
meaning antecedent.
=Precedent=--prĕs´e-dent, not pre-sē´dent nor
prē´se-dent. A noun meaning an example or preceding
circumstance. =Precedented= and =unprecedented= have also the
short e.
=Precocious=--pre-kō´shus, not pre-kŏsh´ŭs.
=Precociously= and =precociousness= have also the long o.
=Predatory=--prĕd´a-to-ry, not prē´da-tory. Plundering;
pillaging.
=Predecessor=--prĕd-e-cĕs´sor, not prē-de-cĕs´sor.
=Preface=--prĕf´ace, not prē´face. =Prefatory=
(prĕf´a-to-ry).
=Prejudice=, not _predudice_.
=Prelate=--prĕl´ate, not prē´-late.
=Presage=, not _prestige_, when something is meant that foreshows
a future event; an omen. "This is a _presage_ of victory."
=Prescription=, not _perscription_.
=Prestige=, not _presage_, when it is meant that some one carries
weight or influence from past deeds or successes. "The
_prestige_ of the hero's name was half the battle."
=Presentiment=--pre-sent´i-ment, not pre-zent´i-ment.
=Pretty=--prĭt´ty, not prĕ´ty. =Prettily= (prĭt´ti-ly),
etc.
=Preventive=, not _preventative_.
=Primeval=--prī-mē´val, not prĭm´e-val.
=Process=--prŏs´ess, not prō´sess.
=Prodigy=, not _projidy_.
=Produce=--prŏd´uce, not prō´dūce. The noun; the verb is
pro-dūce´.
=Product=--prŏd´uct, not prō´duct.
=Progress=--prŏg´ress, not pro´gress. Noun; the verb is
pro-gress´.
=Prosody=--prŏs´o-dy, not prō´so-dy nor prŏz´o-dy.
=Protean=--prō´te-an, not pro-tē´an. Assuming different
shapes.
=Protege= (Fr. protégé)--prō-tā-zhā´, not
prō´tēje. One under the care of another. =Protegee= (Fr.
protégée)--prō-tā-zhā´, feminine.
=Psalm=--säm, not săm. =Psalmist= (säm´ist). Worcester gives
săm´ist also for the latter word.
=Psalmody=--săl´mo-dy, not säm´o-dy nor săm-o-dy.
=Psychical=--sī´kĭk-al, not sĭk´ĭk-al nor
fĭz´ĭk-al, as it is sometimes thoughtlessly pronounced in
reading. Pertaining to the human soul.
=Pumpkin=, not _punkin_. _Pumpkin_ itself is a corruption of
_pumpion_ or _pompion_, but is the word that is now generally
used.
=Purulent=--pū´ru-lent, not pŭr´u-lent. Containing pus or
matter. =Purulence= and =purulency= have also the long u in the
first syllable.
=Put=--pŏŏt, not pŭt. This anomalous pronunciation is
hard for some to adopt, the natural tendency being to sound the
_u_ as it is in a host of other words consisting of two
consonants with a short u between them, as: bun, but, cut, dug,
fun, gun, hut, nut, etc.
=Pyrites=--pī-rī´tez, not pe-rī´tez, pĭr´i-tez nor
pī´rītez.